5 Reasons LeBron James Is the Most Dangerous Star in the NBA

LeBron James is the most dangerous star in the NBA. If this wasn't clear before his third regular season MVP award last year, it was after he won his first ring.

James joined Michael Jordan as the only two players to ever win an NBA Finals MVP, Olympic Gold Medal, NBA championship and regular season MVP all in the same year.

That was how he responded to falling short of an NBA championship during his first season in Miami.

LeBron James will now enter this season for the first time in his life with the confidence of having already won an NBA championship.

He will continue to be the game's best finisher and remain amongst the league's leaders in assists. His ultimate versatility as a player will also be maximized now more than ever with the influx of new talent surrounding him in Miami.

LeBron was the most dangerous star in the NBA last year and that will only improve this season. Below are the five reasons why.

1. He is invincible at the rim.

As the NBA's best finisher, LeBron James is simply unstoppable when attacking the basket. Last season he averaged 10 made field goals per game. According to ESPN's Hoopdata, five of those 10 made baskets were scored at the rim.

On those shots at the rim, or less than three feet from the basket, LeBron James connected on 75 percent of his attempts.

Whether it's running the break, beating his man off the dribble, or cutting off a screen to the basket, LeBron is just too strong with the ball in close.

The only option would be to foul him if he didn't make 387 free throws last season. Good for second most overall in the NBA.

2. LeBron is the best passing forward in the NBA.

He might actually be the best passer overall. Amongst the top 18 players in assists per game last season, LeBron James was the only forward.

He finished 13th overall in assists per game during the 2011-12 season while also finishing third in scoring.

In every single NBA season LeBron James has played since entering the league in 2003 he's finished no worse than 15th overall in assists.

He finished as high as sixth in assists per game twice and in the top 10 overall four times. The 6.2 assists LeBron averaged last year should only improve this season.

3. He will find open shooters wherever they are.

LeBron James will now be surrounded by more capable three-point shooters than he ever has before in his NBA career.

Mike Miller averaged 1.4 three-pointers made per game last season. Shane Battier and James Jones each averaged approximately one, while Mario Chalmers led Miami with 101 three-point field goals made in 64 games.

That was all last season.

With each of those teammates returning this year, Miami will add a career 39 percent three-point shooter in Rashard Lewis along with the NBA's all-time leader in three-point field goals made.

Ray Allen shot a career best 45 percent from three-point range last season for the Boston Celtics. He connected on 106 three-pointers in 46 games for an average of 2.3 per contest.

Allen and company stand to make even more three-pointers this season. As defenses collapse on James he will find these shooters wide open all over the perimeter.

James could average a career best in assists this season as a result.

4. LeBron can play every position on the basketball court.

LeBron James will impact the game the most for his team this season at the power forward position. But he can play positions one through five because he is the most versatile player in the NBA.

He's demonstrated his ability to play the point guard position as recently as this past season. Everyone knows he can line up at either wing. He played power forward for the Olympic team this summer and in a pinch he'd be a more than a serviceable center.

Now I'm not advocating the idea that LeBron James play the traditional center position this or any other year. But in a league where Ryan Hollins played playoff minutes at center for the Boston Celtics, I'm pretty sure LeBron James is more than capable.

5. He's finally met all expectations.

What was lost on The Decision, his last two seasons in Cleveland, and his first season in Miami is that LeBron James had previously shattered every expectation the NBA world had set for him.

He didn't just meet or exceed the insane hype that surrounded his leap from high school to the league; he blew those expectations away.

LeBron James wasn't supposed to average 21 points, six assists and five rebounds as a 19-year-old rookie. He wasn't supposed to beat the Detroit Pistons by himself during the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals.

James had surpassed those and other expectations so quickly that he never had a chance to really think about where he was until he lost the 2007 NBA Finals.

Following that season, the only expectation left was winning an NBA championship. That weighed on James, affected him during his last season in Cleveland and proved to be his demise in the 2011 NBA Finals.

That's all gone now though.

James has given himself the opportunity to compete without that cloud of never having done it hanging over his head anymore. He will be more free, more confident and, ultimately, a more dangerous star because of it.